face groove on lathe

[seawolf217]

 

I have to groove the face of a copper part in this shape. What kind of grooving tool do you guys recommend? Also how do I draw that tool in mastercam? I often make my own tools, but I can't program with mastercam lathe because I can't draw those tools.

[crazy^millman]

Could you scale down that screen shot??

 

I would look at a custom tool. You might find something at Ph Horn or Kasier Thin Bit, but more than likely will find having a custom tool made will be your easiest bet if you want to do it on the lathe. You could do it with a key set cutter facing the tooth in the right alignment. The key seat cutter would need to be an even number of teeth you could then line up one set of teeth in line with the X axis as it travels. Now you would plunge an endmill in there off center to get most of the meat out of there. Now come back and then do the upper part then move down and then do the lower part. If you have live tooling would be a breeze with a key seat cutter, but if not could still be down would just have to baby it is all.

 

HTH

[gcode]

Its easy to draw tools like that.

Right click an existing face groove tool in your tool library and choose Save geometry to level.

then modify the geometry to suit your needs..

Use the geometry to define a custom tool and use the Parameters page to scan your geometry to set tool radius and clearances..

Start with simple stuff and work your way up.

 

I think I'd probably use a left and right hand

tool with a degree of clearance to the walls of the groove..

I'd ruff with a regular groove tool then profile the undercuts with the left and right hand tools.

[Dan@home]

You don't have to draw any tools really. You could do it with two tools. A left and a righthanded radius tool mounted angled in your turret.

 

Redefine an exsisting radius insert and angle your holder in mastercam. Remember limit rappid moves in your cut

[Philcott]

I would most likely follow Gcode's process. Is the groove only .05 deep?

 

I'd also get the tools custom ground to get the proper clearances.